Preparation:
You will need a large frying pan and an earthenware
casserole with a lid.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 2 300øF 150øC.
Start the recipe the day before it is needed by bringing
the beans to the boil in plenty of water (do not add
salt) and simmering for 10 minutes. Drain the beans and
discard the cooking water. Put the beans back into at
least 4in of fresh, cold water and leave them to soak
overnight.
Reduce the ciabatta loaf to rough breadcrumbs. Peel the
onions and chop into 1/2in pieces. Peel all 24 garlic
cloves - boring but worth it in the end! Pour in enough
olive oil to cover the bottom of a large, heavy frying
pan and saut‚ the onions (not the garlic) over a medium
heat for about 15 minutes until they have taken on some
colour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from
the pan and put into a large earthenware casserole.
Sprinkle salt lightly and grind black pepper lavishly
over the chunks of lamb. Add some more olive oil to the
frying pan, turn the heat up high and in 2 or 3 batches
sear the lamb cubes quickly on all sides. Remove each
batch to the casserole as soon as it has browned. You
might need to add a little more oil to the frying pan as
you go along, but remember to heat it well before adding
the lamb. Once all the lamb has been browned, put the
frying pan to one side for a moment while you add the
garlic clove and whole anchovy fillets to the casserole,
tucking them well down into the layers of meat.
Return the frying pan to a high heat and 'deglaze' it by
adding the red wine and bringing it to a fast boil for 3
minutes, while vigorously scraping all the browned
sediment into the wine. Now add the stock and continue
cooking for a further 2 minutes after the liquid returns
to the boil. Now pour everything from the pan into the
casserole. Give it a good stir, put the lid on and place
in the slow preheated oven for about 2 hours, until the
meat and beans are both very soft and tender.
When the casserole is cooked remove it from the oven and
turn the grill on to a high setting. Dredge the
breadcrumbs over the lamb in a thick layer and trickle a
little olive oil over the top. Place under the grill
for a minute or two until you have a golden brown crust.
Serve with a crisp green vegetable and warm french
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